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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Dec 20, 2016 - 07:03am PT
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Spinning off a bit from this thread--though, hopefully, not a complete hijack, it would be interesting to know about roughly, who were the first to use 'nuts' for protection in the US/North America and when.
I know that Connecticut climber John Reppy began using nuts at Ragged Mountain and other nearby crags sometime in the early '60s after he was first 'introduced' to this form of protection during a post-doc stay in England. He and Sam Streibert found that nuts often worked better in the frequently inward flaring cracks in the Connecticut 'traprock' than did pitons.
During a similar time-period (1964-5) English climber Jim Swallow spent a year climbing at Devil's Lake while working in the Mayo Clinic and introduced 'nutting' to some of us who climbed with him there. As I recall, Jim's nuts were all filed-out machine nuts of various sizes (no climbing specific manufactured ones)and he was very 'attached' to them. I recall several occasions hanging on (or just hanging) in very uncomfortable places trying to fish out (with a wire Jim provided) some well-jammed nuts while being subjected to a stream of Jim's 'colorful language'. After Jim left, several of us would carry similar nuts as part of our racks but only very rarely actually placed them---and even more rarely trusted them. A couple of years later however, I did order a set of climbing-specific nuts from Joe Brown after seeing them advertised in Summit. I remember receiving and using an assortment of types, including Peck Crackers and, most useful of all, a MOAC. Unfortunately they are all long gone (sorry Stephane).
Since there were a number of UK visitors and emigres climbing in the US and Canada during the '50s and early '60s , including the Calgary Mountain Club, the early Squamish pioneers, and John Turner's group in eastern Canada, I assume that some of them used nuts for protection as well in the years before Robbins, Chouinard et al. spread the gospel of clean climbing. Any stories?
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 20, 2016 - 07:28am PT
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Excellent Alan, what a fascinating story! Thank you very much.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Dec 20, 2016 - 07:36am PT
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I well remember the nut revolution in Yosemite. It coincided with the free climbing revolution. Beginning in around 1970 a new generation of climbers shifted their attention from big walls to free climbing the abundance of cracks still awaitng first ascents. Splitter cracks, surprisingly, on The Cookie, Arch Rock and elsewhere still remained virgin.
Tbe first 5.11 (New Dimensions) was established at Arch Rock and many more soon followed. Pitons were still in evidence but the preponderance of protection placed were nuts which by then had become much more sophisticated.
Piton placements gradually gave way to the "clean climbing" ethic propelled by the obvious pin scar damage that had occurred.
The "nuts only" ethic that became established led to somewhat bold leads. My ascent of "Overhang Overpass" was typical in that it required a substantial runout that was not required once cams were introduced in the late 70's.
Cams propelled standards further as athleticism assumed a greater role with protection becoming less of an issue.
Sport climbing, obviously, allowed athleticism to be the only factor with protection issues no longer a factor.
This propelled climbing standards way beyond where they had been before. A number of climbers took these newly found abilities to trad climbing and free soloing with the mind boggling results that you see today.
It is interesting to see how advances in protection have led to more difficult climbs being established.
Nuts had a very prominent place in that story.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 20, 2016 - 07:48am PT
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I climbed with some nutters at Devil's Lake in '68 but didn't see any actual nuts until '70 or '71?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 24, 2017 - 09:17pm PT
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Here is the next step in the progression of the Acorn that I recently got from Paul Sibley.
Clearly the same sort of small nut on a string attachment detail was used.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 25, 2017 - 09:33am PT
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Nutstory bump...
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 6, 2017 - 05:03am PT
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Master Grossman, it seems that Paul was very generous with you…
I have already seen such Troll vertical one hole Wedges several times on the Internet (eBay). Unfortunately, I have never managed to get any sample. These nuts seem to be rather confidential. Tony Howard (Troll) does not remember to have ever produce them. They are not mentioned anywhere in the Troll climbing literature.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I too have seen them before and wondered at the odd design but this is the first time that I have had one in hand. The impracticality of having any sort of knot sit above the nut in the small size certainly must have made them move towards cable as thin perlon doesn't offer much strength.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 22, 2017 - 06:34am PT
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Steve, I feel stupid... Have a look at the photo...
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Its pretty wild that I have not seen this thread being in the recent Supertopo listings. And at the same time that you guys are talking about the Troll Vertical One Hole Wedge, by total coincidence one came to the Karabin Museum in a eBay lot. I never knew it existed. I love how the universe delivers its Blessings!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Having read Meastro Pennequin's thread about the Acorn, I immediately recognized this nut as the next step as I was going through Paul Sibley's gear and setting aside items of interest. I recall seeing one of these somewhere earlier but it all fit together once I understood the early design intent.
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Forrest Foxheads use this same design with a wired copperhead jammed into the cord hole.
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ManMountain
Mountain climber
San Diego
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I got out of the protected near vertical rock game in the seventies, gravitated to the mountaineering clan still roped up but ice axes, crampons, ice screws, snow bollards type routes, you know, multiday camping snow covered summits.
So I still have a steamer chest filled with pitons, bongs, blades, early nuts but no cams or new stuff. I'm from the pounder era, and when the early nuts showed up we pounded them in after placement just like a piton. Did the same with copperheads when they showed up. Problem was they were sorta solid but nothing like a piton, pulls from above, wiggling, etc. So I didn't like 'em. Also kinda wrecked the placement for the next ascender if you have to pound out your fixture.
Now I hear people use peckers and beaks as protection. Insane, if you ask me.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Bill keyed off the MOAC taper for his Foxheads while Troll went to cable and a less radical taper which turned out to be the ticket to good crack fitting. Frost and Chouinard perfected the taper and range with their Stoppers in 1971.
"When does a chock become a peg?" -Joe Brown
Peckers and beaks are mostly aid goodies these days. Always have been...
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 28, 2017 - 05:30am PT
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 28, 2017 - 07:05pm PT
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Looks like both sizes Maestro.
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